Swine-Flu Resistent Suit — For Men Only…

Who says women cannot wear men’s clothes, especially when it comes to keeping the Swine-Flu at bay. The whole world is sick (literally) of this H1N1 virus and the scare this is able to generate. The vaccines might take their own time coming out in the market, in the meanwhile any other method of preventing the Swine-Flu virus can attract our attention. The H1N1 virus has no barriers (geographical or sexual), and without any choice has just gone wild; no wonder the H1N1 virus is also called the ‘Zoonotic Swine-flu’.

source: www.tiptop.ca

Encountering this killer on the rampage, a Japanese clothing company, the Haruyama Trading Company has developed a men’s (only) suit that is supposedly to ward off the H1N1 virus. This suit is coated with titanium di-oxide (a popular ingredient in our sunscreen lotions and toothpastes) which reacts in sunlight and is able to kill the virus. We are working on many ways to keep this virus away, and who knows who may try what else.

Actually, it is not our fabric covered skin through which the virus gains entry into our system. It is only through our nose and our mouth that can give way to the virus to cause havoc.  The only consolation this suit can provide is that it does not give space to the virus to relax. This fabric is able to kill and destroy the H1N1 virus immediately on contact. Frankly, instead of the suit fabric being coated with titanium di-oxide, we would be better off putting the same application on our masks. We would be wiser to catch the culprit at entry point, rather than go looking for them at railway stations and bus-stops.

No one knows how far this will work, but what the hell; with the scare and the potential danger it sells. If you are around Japan, grab one for $580 a piece, and nobody can stop women from giving this a try. Who knows, even fashions change with times.

But, being a maverick R&D firm, canon has set out to abolish this notion – and announced a few days back about a wireless All-in-One Printer- PIXMA MP990. As canon mentions on its website – Keep it anywhere in the house and the printing work goes on without a single wire. The economic aspect has not been ignored by PIXMA as well – PIXMA has a built-in Auto Duplex printing which ensures an automatic printing on both sides of the paper – saving the carbon consumption through your printer by 50%.

Some other features regarding PIXMA worth a mention are..

• The maximum resolution is 9600×24002
• It has 6 individual ink tank system
• Through its high-resolution CCD scanner, PIXMA can easily scan 35 mm film and slides
• large 3.8″ Color LCD
• Easy Scroll Wheel
• Auto Photo Fix II
• Auto Scan Mode4
• Quick Start and computer-free printing through compatible USB Flash Drives5
• Memory Cards6
• IrDA7 , PictBridge and optional Bluetooth8 devices.

PIXMA compatibility view:

So, one thing is for certain – Others in the Xerox, Epson, and HP camp must be busy on their drawing boards – coming up with alternatives to PIXMA..

What’s in the Box source: Canon website

	PIXMA MP990 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-In-One Printer
	Document Kit: Cross Sell Sheet Getting Started Important Information Sheet Network Troubleshooting Guide Safety Environment Information Setup Software & User’s Guide CD-ROM Warranty Card
	Ink Tanks: PGI-220 Pigment Black CLI-221 Cyan CLI-221 Magenta CLI-221 Yellow CLI-221 Black CLI-221Gray
	Power Cord
	Print Head
	Sample Media (PP-201 – 4″x6″ / 5 sheets)

While the SDXC and SDHC memory cards can boast as the ‘world’s first memory cards compliant with the SD Memory Card Standard Ver. 3.00, UHS104′ – What this means to the user is an super-fast read and write speed to NAND flash based memory cards. In other words, a maximum write speed of 35MB per second, and a read speed of 60MB per second.

Image credit: www.mydigitallife.info

This is a great news for media companies and enthusiasts alike, as it supports their ever increasing demand for a higher memory and a great data transfer rate. Kudos to Toshiba for raising the bar in NAND memory segment.

Outline of New SD Memory Cards

1. SDXC card

2. SDHC cards

Note: Product names above are for the Japanese market.

Key Features

(1)SDXC Memory Card realizes the 64GB capacity, the largest capacity yet available in the market.

(2)Supports UHS104, a new ultra high speed SD interface, and the highest standard in the new SD Memory Card Standard Ver. 3.00, which provides 104MB per sec. bus speed in the SD interface. It realizes a maximum write speed of 35MB per second and a read speed of 60MB per second.

(3)UHS 104 provides the conventional SD interfaces, 3.3V DS (25MHz)/ HS (50MHz), and new SDHC Memory Cards with UHS104 are interoperable with existing SDHC host devices.

(4)SDXC Memory Cards are interoperable only with an SDXC host that implements the exFAT file system. It cannot interface with SD or SDHC hosts.

(5)Integrates highly secure CPRM copy protection technology.

Source: Toshiba Corp.

Sony unveiled new Cyber-shot® cameras (DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1 models) which are loaded with “Exmor R” sensor technology – enabling almost double the performance benefits and sensistivity in low light conditions , when compared to regular CMOS sensors.

So what does it mean to the Camera buyer in Best Buy?

[a] Enhanced image clarity in low-light conditions
[b] The grain density is drastically reduced with “Exmor R” sensor technology
[c] TX1 and WX1 cameras incorporate the hand-held twilight and anti-motion blur multi-shot modes introduced in Sony’s breakthrough Cyber-shot DSC-HX1
[d] The above modes can capture 6 separate images in less than a second (enabled by “Exmor R” sensor technology) and utilize Sony’s BIONZ™ processor to combine the shots
into a single image of amazing finesse and quality.
[e] The new “Exmor R” enabled compact cameras include Sony’s Sweep Panorama and 10 frames per second burst shooting features, which were introduced with the Sony® DSC-HX1 camera
[f] Because of the faster image capture due to “Exmor R” sensors, taking landscape mode pictures is a 2 button function – “press and sweep.” Sweep Panorama mode lets you reach beyond the traditional wide-angle lens.
[g] The TX1 and WX1 Cyber-shot models can take up to 185 and 256-degree panorama shots respectively in one easy press-and-sweep motion with an image size of 7152 x 1080 (ultra wide horizontal).
[h] 3-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus™ display
[i] TX1 camera lets you focus as little as 0.4 inches from your subject – for an extremely ‘close & personal’ close-up shot.
[j] These cameras also include Pet mode – minimizes blur when shooting moving petsand also reduces glowing pet red-eye.
[k] These twin powerhouses can record HD movies in 720p high definition MPEG4

“With these new “Exmor R” CMOS sensor cameras, Sony has vastly improved the customer experience for taking pictures with digital still cameras in low-light scenarios,” said Phil Lubell, director of the digital imaging business at Sony Electronics. “We’ve all taken pictures in dimly lit situations, like blowing out candles on a birthday cake, and the results were grainy and unclear. By redesigning the way these cameras capture light, Sony is leading the industry by creating this easy way to take amazingly clear, vibrant photos in low lighting scenarios.”

Pricing and Availability

• The TX1 camera will be available in silver, gray, pink and blue this September for about $380.
• The WX1 camera will be available in black this October for about $350.
• To be made available at www.sonystyle.com/retail

Apple’s resilience in the stock market is often coupled with stunning product announcements. This one from the rumor hill has sent fresh vibes over the net – ‘Almost’ trusted sources have proclaimed a joint venture between Apple & Verizon – to create an Internet tablet which might come at a subsidized rate for Verizon subscribers.

Image credit: blogs.smarter.com

This unsubstantiated scoop is strengthened by none other than Intel’s Manging Director for Central Europe, Hannes Schwaderer

So, How will it look like?

Image credit: www.jonlee.ca

….Its said that it will be a larger version of iPhone…
….Will use Intel’s Atom processor….
….It is targeted for a product category called MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices)….
….I-Tablet will have built-in EVDO abilities….

Image credit: www.viewgadgets.net

So, there you have it – a few trails from the Apple closet – We will be hot on this trail as we get more details..So be on the look-out.

Imagine if we had a mobile diagnosis equipment for Swine Flu (H1N1)..What if we had a pocket diagnostic gadget for malaria…Could the world have been a safer place if we had a diagnostic equipment for malaria at every gas station and departmental store…

Image Credit: www.geekologie.com

THE IMPACT WOULD BE ENORMOUS – AND MORE LIVES COULD BE SAVED EVERY SECOND..

Not to mention an in-home cardiac-attack detection equipment.

But, we have a lot of encouraging news from the world of Gadgets and its heartening to know that technology makers are thinking beyond just the entertainment angle…Kudos to these scientists and technocrats who have given a humanitarian angle to their inventions.

A futuristic mobile concept…

Cellphone with a Braille keypad …
Designer Serghei Tanas needs to be heard by big shot mobile manufacturers like LG, Samsung, Nokia …. Tanas has an eye for the deaf and blind users of cell phone and for that – the Keyboard designed by him resembles Braille keypad and a sensory ring with surface scanners, which will enable the blind to use the phone like any regular phone..Way to go.

Image Credit: www.gizmowatch.com

And to make life easier for the special users – the Tanas cell phone has large screen to allow the impaired navigate easily and efficiently …

CellScope…The microscopic camera

Now medically beneficial detailed images can be taken by a regular cell phone with camera features – just by attaching an Add-on to your camera. With this appendage, your cellphone (CellScope) works as a so-called fluorescence microscope that can identify the markers of disease.

Image Credit: bbc.co.uk

“Fluorescence occurs when certain molecules are illuminated with a certain colour and “shine” for a period in a different colour.Fluorescent “tagging” molecules can be specially designed to latch on to, for instance, the bacteria that are a sign of tuberculosis (TB).“

This should be a harbinger of similar inventions which can be spun off by utilizing the the most commonly used gadgets …

Image Credit: bbc.co.uk

So, when Dell announced the 17 ” sibling of the old guard, i had to take a peek , and to say the least – It came on my wish list (not to offend my old friend at all..)

Designer Looks!

It comes for all ages and styles in 3 striking colors – Cherry Red, Black or Ice Blue…

• Storage – Up to 500 GB
• Speed – Up to 540 RPM ….Good enough for the most hardcore media enthusiast
• Connectivity – 802.11g & 802.11n with optional Bluetooth capabilities..

Technical Features (source: Dell)

Processors
Up to Intel® Core™2 Duo Processors
Operating System
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium x64 Edition Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate x64 Edition
Memory
Up to 4GB7 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM8
Chipset
Intel® GM 45
Graphics
Intel® GMA X4500HD 256MB ATI HD 4330 512MB ATI Mobility RadeonTM HD4330 (optional in September 2009)
LCD Display
17.3″ High Definition+ (900p) WLED Display with TrueLifeTM (Std) 17.3″ Full High Definition (1080p) WLED with TrueLifeTM (Optional in September 2009)
Audio and Speakers
4-Watt (2 x 2W) High Definition Audio 2.0 Integrated Stereo Speakers
Hard Drives
Up to 500GB33 5400RPM hard drive
Optical Drives
Optional internal tray-load DVD+/-RW or Blu-ray DiscTM Combo (Read BD, Burn CD/DVD) Drive
Power
4 cell Li-Ion Battery 6 cell 49 WHr Li-Ion Battery 9 cell 85 WHr Li-Ion Battery (optional in August 2009)
Camera
Optional 1.3MP Integrated Webcam Dual Digital Array Microphones
Wireless
Wi-Fi Options: Dell 1397 Wireless G Mini-Card Dell 1515 Wireless N Mini-Card (Optional) Dell 5100n Wireless N Mini- Card (Optional) Bluetooth Options: Optional Bluetooth® Internal (2.0) mini-card
Ports, Slots, Chassis
Externally Accessible (3) USB 2.0 compliant ports Integrated network connector 10/100 LAN (RJ45) 54mm Express Card slot VGA Port AC adapter connector Audio jacks (1 line-out, 1 Mic-in) Optional 7-in-1 Media Card Reader

So, all the Blackberry lovers would be doubly pleased to know that its official – A community for BlackBerry owners…

MyBlackBerry

You can join MyBlackBerry at its official website

So, will it help BB to grow its base – or to create more Brand ambassadors…may be.

But, one thing  which all of the Product promoters would agree is that its a ‘Smart move’.

An unlikely peek into MS 2010 clearly shows a change in the direction – Desk top to Web applications.
Redmond intends to push the cloud-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.

Considering the market share of MS in the Office based applications, the shift towrads the web-based versions should send the alarm bells ringing.

Of particular interest will be the Google’s response to the new Web applications of Microsoft. Should Zoho, Google Docs and other SaaS providers be concerned about their new challenge during the recession?

Well, they should, considering the market share of Microsoft and its capacity to market its product in the most innovative ways..

We look forward to MS Office 2010…Nobody wants to pay for Word anymore.

Run on Solar Power, +ECO Clima Control weather station, offers essential timing and weather functions in a very eco-friendly setup.

Features:

• +ECO Clima Control is equipped with a built-in solar panel
• Powered by the sun
• Allows its users to monitor the current temperature and humidity in up to four locations within the home and outdoors
• Uses remote wireless temperature and humidity sensors
• It has an 8-hour charge period
• This 8 hour charge will let  +ECO Clima Control operate for up to three months before another charge is needed

“We are excited to introduce our first solar-powered weather station into our ever-growing line of Oregon Scientific household products,” said Mike Prager, President of Oregon Scientific, US. “We are committed to exploring alternative sources of energy to power our products, and will continue to look for new innovations to serve our consumers.”

Pricing & Availability

• The +ECO Clima Control has a suggested retail price of $119.99
• Available at available for purchase at www2.oregonscientific.com.